Love the new forum and have some constructive suggestions

First I'd like to say that I'm really impressed with the roll-out of the new forum. There are a lot of things right with it "out of the box" and the potential using AMASS appears to be significant.

I do have a few suggestions that certainly would make the experience better for me, and hopefully for others also. Feel free to add positive/constructive ideas to my list.

1. Be able to turn on or off all animations. Animations are great for new users, but once you know how to use the forum features they are a bit annoying. - In the works
   
   
2. When clicking on an image in the gallery the page the image is on scrolls to the image instead of jumping right to the post. Is there a way to stop the need to scroll and just jump right to the post?
   
   
3. I’d like to see the same color choices as Lightroom or Photoshop CS6 (for example) for the pasteboard and the text areas. (I believe themes are in the works)
   
   
4. Please make the font style and size user selectable for the section headings. Personally I find script type font annoying and hard to read (yes, I have cr@ppy eyesight). It also takes up too much real estate.
   
   
5. It would be great if there was a “Click to Change” popup for Gear section of a homepage similar to the one for changing user info.
   
   
6. For the “Some of ____’s photos from forums” area I’d like to see a “Find All” button which would invoke a search and display a thumbnail of every image you ever posted. Then have a select checkbox to determine whether or not you want it added to your gallery.
   
   
7. Instead of not adding an image to a gallery because of missing metadata how about adding it, but marking it as incomplete (not publically displayed in the gallery) until the metadata is complete.
   
   
8. I feel we need a “Film Camera” option when entering metadata which will allow adding an image to a gallery without ISO, aperture and shutter-speed.
   
   
9. Would like the ability to sort the gear list.
   
   
10. There is font inconsistency on some of the pages, like “Your Home Page”. “Latest Threads”, “Latest Posts”, where some of the text should be should be sans serif.
    
    
11. Search should include “Posts with Images”
    
    
12. Like to see an option where a gallery is scrollable (all on one page) instead of needing to click page numbers.
    
    
13. The Questions, Questions thread has been excellent. Hopefully one of the forum guru's will mine that thread and a few others (once they've run their course) to develop a comprehensive FAQ.
    

Excellent observations, and I agree with as well
BUT our fearless leader nearly had a snit in another thread where the script font was criticized...said something along the lines of it's my site, I like the font, so bug off!.

Didereaux wrote in post #17314173
Excellent observations, and I agree with as well
BUT our fearless leader nearly had a snit in another thread where the script font was criticized...said something along the lines of it's my site, I like the font, so bug off!.

To be fair, it is a FONT.... of all things, and one that is used in very limited quantities. So let's put things into a bit of perspective, as is said often in photography. Also, the size has been reduced quite a bit, so the real estate taken by a section header is about as much as it would if it were any other font.

Thank you Bob, for a well thought out list, I believe a few have already been noted for change. Have you looked at the future changes thread?

If you have suggestions for this thread, please let me know: https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=17313915

Didereaux wrote in post #17314173
Excellent observations, and I agree with as well
BUT our fearless leader nearly had a snit in another thread where the script font was criticized...said something along the lines of it's my site, I like the font, so bug off!.

Okay, so you don't agree with Pekka's choice. But why this tone of voice? Why call him "our fearless leader"? By all means, have an opinion, but show some respect for Pekka and for what he has done. And do you really think he has no right to hang on to some of his choices? Even if you don't happen to agree with them? Haven't you learned yet that in life you take a bit and you give a bit? Pekka is giving a lot here, making changes as we speak, even if he doesn't like the changes himself. Is it too much to ask that you give a bit too and at least show some respect?

Have an opinion but please, drop the attitude.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17314199
To be fair, it is a FONT.... of all things, and one that is used in very limited quantities. So let's put things into a bit of perspective, as is said often in photography. Also, the size has been reduced quite a bit, so the real estate taken by a section header is about as much as it would if it were any other font.

Thank you Bob, for a well thought out list, I believe a few have already been noted for change. Have you looked at the future changes thread?

If you have suggestions for this thread, please let me know: https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=17313915

You're welcome TeamSpeed. I do a bit of software development for iOS and Android and know how hard it is to get the UI just right on the first go. Often it's best to do your best, do the first release, then listen to good, solid, constructive feedback to add the final polish. For an initial release I think Pekka has done a tremendous job. Now people just need to be a bit patient as he looks at ideas and slowly implements the ones that make sense to do.

Thanks for pointing to the other two threads since they give some good tips and information on what is currently in the works.

Bob_A wrote in post #17314137
First I'd like to say that I'm really impressed with the roll-out of the new forum. There are a lot of things right with it "out of the box" and the potential using AMASS appears to be significant.

I do have a few suggestions that certainly would make the experience better for me, and hopefully for others also. Feel free to add positive/constructive ideas to my list.

1. Be able to turn on or off all animations. Animations are great for new users, but once you know how to use the forum features they are a bit annoying.
   

Already in the works.

Isn't it logical that when you click a thumb to see an image, you are shown the image. Posts can ve very long and it would cause confusion if you are taken to a view where that image is not even near.

I am considering adding "font themes". I will keep the script font there for the time being.

Good idea.

Automated image search is very easy to do, but adding thumbnails to search result has been on my to do list - just have not seemed to have time for it yet. It is on my mind

I think the best choice is to make sure that all understand this:

If you do not find the correct lens or camera, pick something close to it.

This is not inquisition, you can fool the system freely.
When I add more gear, I will clearly announce what has been added, and that you can fix thos "fooled" selections, if you like.

Again: do not let the "missing gear" syndrome prevent you adding images to the gallery.

As we have now for cameras with fixed lenses, the lens is automatically inserted as "fixed" and therefore not required. I can do the same for cameras that are marked as "do not have shutter speed", if needed. But please note the reply to missing gear above. Film guys can guess if it was close to ISO 1600 or ISO 100 and pick their best guess.

Me too

That all will be checked and fixed.

It has it already, add [IMG] to either title or text field as keyword, and search picks only resutls that have viewable images. Search db is still indexing those images, that will take days to complete. Much of is there already, try search for
TITLE: baby
TEXT: [IMG]
and you'll see.

It could be done and given as an option.

Thanks for very good comments.

Pekka wrote in post #17314448
Isn't it logical that when you click a thumb to see an image, you are shown the image. Posts can ve very long and it would cause confusion if you are taken to a view where that image is not even near.

Wow Pekka, thanks for the response!

I think I didn't explain myself very well for #2. When you click on an image I agree, you should be shown the post with the image as you do now. However, in getting there, clicking the thumbnail first takes you to the top of the page which has the post with the image in it, then quickly scrolls down to the post. Just my preference, but it would be great if the scrolling from the top of the page could be avoided.

On the whole I'm liking amass. One thing though is that I feel the panel on the left that has our name and avatar is too wide. I feel that it would be better being narrowed maybe 10-15% to give more space to the post area. I know you can reduce the margins in the settings but this adds a range of other issues so I leave margins at default.

Also, would it be possible to move the post number and time of post info to the top left of the post panel (opposite "seen") as this would be similar to the old vbulletin position (from memory).

Finally, could the like function be changed to a button the same as MQ, reply etc and placed beside them?

These are just minor requests and I'm thankful for your effort pekka

xpfloyd wrote in post #17314492
On the whole I'm liking amass. One thing though is that I feel the panel on the left that has our name and avatar is too wide. I feel that it would be better being narrowed maybe 10-15% to give more space to the post area. I know you can reduce the margins in the settings but this adds a range of other issues so I leave margins at default.

Also, would it be possible to move the post number and time of post info to the top left of the post panel (opposite "seen") as this would be similar to the old vbulletin position (from memory).

Finally, could the like function be changed to a button the same as MQ, reply etc and placed beside them?

These are just minor requests and I'm thankful for your effort pekka

I like both of those Eddie. I'm also liking what I see so far with AMASS.

I wonder if it's possible to have a small "like" button in the top left of the text entry box with the post # and time in line with it (maybe centered on the text area to leave room for "You Liked this post - the world loves a liker")? Since "Seen" is already at the top right, doing this would also save a bit of real estate.

Not high on my wish list, but neat ideas for some future tweaks.

xpfloyd wrote in post #17314492
On the whole I'm liking amass. One thing though is that I feel the panel on the left that has our name and avatar is too wide. I feel that it would be better being narrowed maybe 10-15% to give more space to the post area. I know you can reduce the margins in the settings but this adds a range of other issues so I leave margins at default.

Also, would it be possible to move the post number and time of post info to the top left of the post panel (opposite "seen") as this would be similar to the old vbulletin position (from memory).

Finally, could the like function be changed to a button the same as MQ, reply etc and placed beside them?

These are just minor requests and I'm thankful for your effort pekka

I don't like to see the User Panel smaller. I use Narrower3 and the text area already is often too wide to comfortably read. Making the User Panel smaller would only make that worse.
I'm also against moving the date stamp to the top left. The comment should take first seat, not anything else. The small greyed out "seen" is very small, in the upper right corner and isn't noticed because it sits at the right hand side, where sentences end. The upper left corner would be a much more prominent place and hard to miss.

A LIKE button next to the other buttons would be nice though...

Good feedback Levina. For me the post # and time is just in a funny place, so kicking around suggestions on how to improve it is great. Your comment regarding the top left is valid, so maybe it's not the right location either.

Really, really minor nits though.

Bob_A wrote in post #17314548
Good feedback Levina. For me the post # and time is just in a funny place, so kicking around suggestions on how to improve it is great. Your comment regarding the top left is valid, so maybe it's not the right location either.

Really, really minor nits though.

Thanks, Bob. And agreed on the minor nits.

Another small "feature" that may need tweaking

The small "Click to change your personal information" dialogue covers up the website address. It would be great if the box could be nudged up a bit so the link is accessible.

Levina de Ruijter wrote in post #17314517
I don't like to see the User Panel smaller. I use Narrower3 and the text area already is often too wide to comfortably read. Making the User Panel smaller would only make that worse.
I'm also against moving the date stamp to the top left. The comment should take first seat, not anything else. The small greyed out "seen" is very small, in the upper right corner and isn't noticed because it sits at the right hand side, where sentences end. The upper left corner would be a much more prominent place and hard to miss.

A LIKE button next to the other buttons would be nice though...

I suppose that proves we are all different. I tried narrower 4 and find that works best for me with the text area at its widest. I just didn't like the way everything on the left panel didn't work well with it so reverted to default.

I hear what your saying about top left for the time and post number. Perhaps top right would be better as to me "seen" is pointless. On the old potn the post number and time stamp wasn't intrusive, here I feel it clutters up things a bit.

I will repeat though, these are just minor nit picks and I am not meaning to come across as negative if I am